Category: 1. Managing Your Financial Firm

Our Business Tune-Up Assessment will help you measures 46 key indicators of a successful, profitable business.

New to business or an old pro, the first step to growing a business is to assess where you are right now. Why? Because those things that need “immediate fixing” will be placed in your Growth Plan’s goals, where you’ll create strategies and action plans to make changes.

You “birthed” your business, but you are not your business. Your business is an entity — it has no emotions, it does not breathe. Speak at an event, create a website, write an article and some will love it and others hate it. Take all criticism knowing that it is just someone else’s opinion — it’s what they would do.

Ya, we’re sensitive human beings. So, get annoyed, vent, cry if you need to. And then, see if you can find a sliver of truth in it and take an action to make things better — your way.

Dark Liquidity or Pools… the next place that needs more exposure?

Over the years, I have used many different quotes in my talks, Power Points, etc. I’d like to learn new ones from you! Please include the author of the quote. And feel free to comment on the quote (or other quotes) posted here, too!

Here are some of the quotes LinkedIn Group members have contributed to:

“If it’s going to be, it’s up to me” – Dr. Robert Schuler

“A penny saved is a penny earned.” – Benjamin Franklin

“Give me a firm spot on which to stand and I will move the Earth.” – Archimedes

“He who fails to plan is planning to fail” – Winston Churchill

“If I’d asked my customers what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” – Henry Ford

“Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm” – Publilius Syrus Roman Writer

“A goal without a plan is just a wish” — Antoine de Saint-Exupery, French writer

“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!” – Benjamin Franklin

“In life, as in football, the principle is: Hit the line hard.” – Teddy Roosevelt

I learned a lot when I worked on Wall Street; sometimes, my lessons took me by surprise. The phones on the trading desks often stop ringing right before the Fed releases an economic number. During one such lull in activity, I was chit-chatting with other team members about life in general. "What do you do for fun?" my colleague asked us. I listened to the others talk about what they do for fun. However, I couldn’t remember the last thing I’d done that was "pure fun". I instantly realized that I wasn’t doing enough to reenergize myself.

I enjoyed everything I was doing — even the long hours. But my colleagues were talking about fun that had nothing to do with work. That was the day I also recognized myself as the type of person who has to "plan" for fun. Strange but true! Since that epiphany, I’ve scheduled time for fun into every day, week, and year.

There’s a practical reason to make room for fun during your daily agenda. You need new stimuli in order to think new thoughts and be more productive. You can’t coax creativity from your brain if you’re constantly working in the same environment, or allow new ideas to drift in if you’re busy 24/7. Some of my most innovative outbursts have created a running joke with my team. "Have you been on the ferry or taken a drive to a new place?" they’ll ask. They tell me that I send them out-of-the-box articles, concepts, or new programs soon after one of my excursions.

When you’re running a business, you can never have too many creative solutions and ideas. But you don’t always have the leeway to venture out of the office every time you need to think of one! A few minutes of mental redirection as you take a "vacation" at your desk is a great way to get a little rest and jump-start your creative mind.

Below are 7 websites to visit when you take a Desk Vacation. You can explore them to lighten up, take some "time off" to regroup during the day, or find inspiration when you need it.

2) 2 Minutes: What can you do in two minutes? If you love the sound of the ocean, this website will show you how you can "do nothing for 2 minutes". See if you can pass the test! http://donothingfor2minutes.com/

3) Where Cool Things Happen: This site has great photos of cool things, ranging from amazing places to clever gadgets to mind-blowing architecture. http://www.wherecoolthingshappen.com/

4) Positivity in Action: Journalists and photographers employ their craft to share stories and images of people and organizations making a positive difference in the world. http://storytellersforgood.com

6) Oscar-nominated "Happy": Pharrell Williams’ cute and catchy music video will stir your serotonin and have you bopping along in your seat. Warning: this song proves that happiness can be highly contagious. "Happy" is from the "Despicable Me 2" soundtrack http://www.marketingwithintegrity.com/happiness-truth/

Bonus

Last, but not least, take a few minutes to read or watch something spiritual. Whether it be the Bible, Torah, or Koran – you’ll find many online resources to visit. OR maybe subscribe to a quote list, like http://www.spiritual-quotes-to-live-by.com/, watch YouTube videos by folks like Marianne Williamson, Louise Hay, or Wayne Dyer http://www.hayhouse.com/, one of Joel Osteen’s videos http://www.JoelOsteen.com, or TED videos, like this talk by Rick Warren: http://www.ted.com/talks/rick_warren_on_a_life_of_purpose.html” target=”_blank”>http://www.ted.com/talks/rick_warren_on_a_life_of_purpose.html